Adventure of Sinbad: Night 3
A grateful man introduces himself as Darius, a traveling merchant. He claims his ship was wrecked and he has been unconscious until now. Badr strokes his chin thoughtfully while Esra eyes him with suspicion. When Badr speaks, it is to offer assistance. Esra, however, chastises him for this decision. Badr agrees that he doesn't want to get involved, but he also feels that helping is common courtesy. Darius looks on with a relieved smile. A concerned Sinbad climbs on Darius's back, slapping the hair and asking why his head is yellow. Esra panics, motioning for him to climb down. Darius laughs good-naturedly and assures Esra that he doesn't mind. He then asks Sinbad if he has ever been outside the village. Sinbad anxiously replies that children cannot go outside or they risk being eaten by monsters, an idea which he picked up from books. Darius chuckles and promises that there are few monsters in the world. He tells young Sinbad that he himself comes from another country, and that outside of Tison village, there are people with different hair-colors, cultures, and nationalities. He also tells Sinbad about the various animals and plants that grow outside Tison village. Sinbad is awestruck, and the Rukh flutter around him excitedly. Noticing Sinbad's expression, Darius scratches his head and wonders if he confused the child. Sinbad insists that he is interested and begs to hear more. Darius starts to protest, but Badr chimes in that he can stay in the house until he has recovered. In return, Darius promises not to cause trouble. Darius is shocked at the kindness displayed by his hosts and agrees. Badr welcomes him, but Esra remains suspicious. As Sinbad plays with Darius, Esra reminds Badr that if the villagers find out that they're harboring a foreigner, they will discriminate against their family even more. Badr asks if she would have left him at the well the previous night, and Esra denies that this is the case. Badr uses this to conclude that what they're doing is only natural. Esra reluctantly falls silent. Badr puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, suggesting she wait and see how things play out. Time passes, and Darius tells Sinbad tales of mysterious countries around the world. His stories awaken a yearning for adventure in Sinbad's heart. However, after a few days, Parthevian soldiers visit Tison searched for an enemy spy. Cornered, Darius takes Sinbad as a hostage, holding a knife to his throat. Esra cries out for her son, unable to approach. He calls out to the horrified crowd that if anyone approaches, he will kill Sinbad. A betrayed Sinbad asks Darius why and insists he is a better man than this. Darius confesses that this is his true self and that he'll go to any lengths to complete a mission. He is a spy. Darius then directs Esra to gather supplies for his escape. She turns to the villagers for help, but they stand by idly. The villagers claim that they aren't soldiers and do not know how to fight. They also claim that the life of a child of an expatriate is worthless. Helpless, Esra sheds tears, collapsing to the ground. Darius begins to slash his way through the crowd, clearing a path. Badr's cane clacks on the ground as he arrives, politely asking Darius to release Sinbad before he flees. He reminds Darius of his promise not to cause trouble, but Darius simply lowers his head. This time, Badr gets on his knee and begs once again. Category:Chapters Category:Badr Arc